The present invention relates to protective clothing in general, and more particularly to garments which incorporate pads for protection of the wearer's joints such as elbows and knees.
There are many activities which require practitioners to take on cramped or reduced postures, such as crouching, crawling or lying prone, either momentarily or for extended periods. Moreover, it is sometimes necessary to assume these positions rapidly or unexpectedly. Kneeling and crawling, or collapsing to the knees, can be particularly injurious to the knees, either as a result of abrasion in the form of scraping, cutting, or puncturing, or as a result of impact or trauma. Flooring installers, carpenters, plumbers, and electricians are examples of tradesman who must occasionally or regularly spend time on their knees. Police officers, customs officials, and soldiers also are frequently required to kneel, crouch, or crawl, and often instantaneously in response to a sudden threat. Certain sporting and leisure activities can also lead to joint injuries if precautions are not taken.
Conventional knee and elbow pads provide some measure of protection against impact by supplying a cushion over the joint. In addition, the force of a point impact can be distributed over a greater surface area by stiff shells which are fastened to the cushion. The stiff shells also provide protection against minor cuts and abrasions, while at the same time protecting the cushion itself from degradation.
Elbow and knee pads are commonly of one of two types. Independent pads are mounted directly to the wearer's limbs by straps or belts. These devices offer the advantage of being securely attached in the vicinity of the joint to be protected, and being readily replaced for cleaning or repair. This type of pad is often employed where the wearer is otherwise lightly clad, such as in certain sporting activities. However, the tight elastic straps can be uncomfortable or can limit mobility. Moreover, the close-fitting pads can be especially hot during extended wear. In addition, the independent pads can be difficult to combine with other necessary garments, such as coveralls, fatigues, or jumpsuits, as the padding may, when used in combination with such clothing, restrict movement and ventilation and interfere with the garment. Furthermore, the hard shell of an independent pad, if worn interior to the garment, can result in the shredding or abrasion of the garment itself, which is caught between the hard shell of the pad and the hard exterior objects. If worn exterior to the garment, the pad can be excessively restrictive of the movement of the garment, and impair the mobility of the wearer.
Garment-mounted pads are often more comfortable, and the hard shell of the pad worn on the exterior of the garment fabric serves to extend the life of the garment itself. Garment and pad wear may, however, progress at different rates, and it may be desirable to replace one and not the other. Or, it may be necessary to remove any foam padding in order to adequately wash the garment, or to safely subject the garment to drying heat. Some garments have pockets into which the foam pad is inserted, but if the hard shell is also inserted into this type of pocket, it would no longer provide protection for the garment fabric.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,270, entitled Removable Garment Protective Assembly, discloses a joint protective pad assembly in which a protective element comprised of a foam pad and a cap is received within a frontwardly opening pocket in a garment. The protective plastic cap is stitched to the pad around a center region, such that a projecting flange is defined which overlies the pad. The margin of the pocket opening is received between the cap flange and the pad, and thereby retains the protective element in place while in use, yet allows the protective element to be readily removed for washing of the garment, or for replacement. In one embodiment two stiff caps are sewn to the foam pad and are received within two pockets. Yet even greater levels of comfort and protective efficacy are desirable, without sacrificing the convenience features of such a protective assembly.